Kodiyeri Balakrishnan

Studied at Kodiyeri Oniyan High School, Mahatma Gandhi College, Mahe and University College, Trivandrum

Joined CPI(M)in 1970

Was Secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the SFI and its All India Joint Secretary between 1973 and 1979   

Imprisoned for 16 months under MISA during the internal emergency — 1975-1977

1980 to 1982 DYFI Kannur District President 

Was elected as the Secretary of the Kannur District Committee of the CPI(M)

Elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly on four occasions — 1982, 1987, 2001, 2006 from Thalassery constituency. Was Dy. Opposition Leader in 2001  

Was State Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha and a member of the AIKS Council

Elected to the Central Committee in 2003

Elected to the Polit Bureau at the 19th Congress in 2008

Currently Minister for Home and Tourism, Government of Kerala

Married, two children